- The mix CD is dying, but no one has given word to Renaissance. The UK label continues to commission compilations for its Master Series and, in recent years, has bravely started new ones. But while Platform and Sidetracked seem like risky bets, the continued support of The Master Series is an easy choice for the label. Big brand names with reliable fanbases are the only sure things in the record industry at the moment, and none come more established than Hernan Cattaneo.
The Argentinean DJ is a progressive house mainstay, and one of the biggest DJs to ever emerge from South America. Like John Digweed, though, his star continues to shine at a relatively high level due to a tireless work ethic and his obvious talent behind the decks. The sound may not have changed (much), but neither has the drive: That's one of the major reasons that he's one of the few progressive DJs left standing on the international scene. You can hear the pillars of his sound all over the second disc of this mix, a rapid journey through Cattaneo co-productions with Soundexile and John Tonks, as well as tunes from progressive bedrock Bedrock, Manuel Sofia, Henry Saiz and more.
It's exactly what Cattaneo fans will come for, only distinguishable from what you might hear in a normal club set because many of the tracks are exclusive originals, edits and remixes. It's a small way of hearkening back to a moment before the explosion of podcasts when you had to catch a DJ in person to hear certain tunes—and you often never heard them again. But, as a mix, it is the sound of Cattaneo and Renaissance resolutely standing still in the face of a music scene that has, in many respects, passed them by.
That's why the first disc of this edition of The Masters Series is a welcome surprise. Inspired by an "a-ha!" moment of playing Henry Saiz's "We Are All" 20 BPM slower than its intended tempo, it sees Cattaneo getting deep. He has a keen ear for what works at such a tempo and what doesn't: Many of the people that pop up on the tracklisting are exactly the same as those found on the second disc. But there are also fascinating inclusions from outside the electronic music world as well. Two Icelandic indie groups, Mum and Sigur Ros, become headphone-dance stars in Cattaneo's hands. It leaves you with the feeling that, given fewer expectations as to what he should be, Cattaneo could be something altogether more interesting on a regular basis.
TracklistDisc One - Day
01. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Indian Son / Slacker - See The World (Hernan's Dawn Reboot)
02. Marc Marzenit Pres. Divine Elements - Saint Two
03. Hernan Cattaneo & John Tonks - One 0 Five
04. Martin Garcia - Galileo Was Right
05. Martin Garcia - Specific Impulse
06. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Blacklight (Day Mix)
07. Mum - The Ballad Of The Broken Birdie Records (Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile Edit)
08. Mercurio - Acoustic
09. Jean F. Cochois - Like A Poison Snake
10. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile feat. Tomomi Ukumori - Cripsis (Day mix)
11. Guy J - Dust (Into Dust Mix)
12. Henry Saiz - We are All ( Henry Saiz Earth's Pulse Version)
13. Idioma - Landscape (Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile Rework)
14. Mercurio - Beautiful
15. Sigur Ros - Svefn-G-Englar
Disc Two - Night
01. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Blacklight (Night mix)
02. Hernan Cattaneo & John Tonks - July (Manuel Sofia Remix)
03. Way Out West - Ultra Violet (Guy J Remix)
04. Tone Depth - Rumblefish (Diyo Remix)
05. Henry Saiz - The Rider
06. Tonnsaied - Seven Seventy
07. Alex.47 - Eggsperience (Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile Mix 1)
08. Alex.47 - Eggsperience (Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile Mix 2)
09. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Cripsis (Night Mix)
10. Fefo & Dario Arcas - Take Me Away
11. Billy Dalessandro - Your Touch (Alexander Kowalski Remix)
12. Future Beat Alliance - Crying Sine
13. Quivver - Boom Boom
14. Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile - Teleport
15. Manuel Sofia - An Endless Forest
16. Diyo - Underlight